Automatic blasting cap crimping device



FIP8305 SR 199495822 March 6, 1934. y 1 F. WIGGE'R-r 1,949,822

AUTOMATIC BLASTING CAP CRIMPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Briventor v March 6, 1934. J, F WIGGERT 1,949,822

AUTOMATIC BLASTING CAP CRIMPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1l, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 :inventor :jf-)ME Wviggerl" g 1 Gtkorneg.

Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE John F. Wiggert, Lead, S. Dak.

Application August 11,

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to controlling means for a cap crimping device adapted for use particularly in securing blasting caps on the ends of fuses, and to similar cap securing and like operations.

An object of the present invention is to provide controlling means for a cap crimping device or machine of this character which makes the operation automatic and which ensures that the cap and the enclosed end of the fuse be pushed into the crimping machine to its fullest extent before the crimping action may take place so as to oifset any danger of accidently crimping the fulminate section of the cap which would otherwise cause an explosion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a controlling attachment which makes the machine automatic in that the cap placed on the end of the fuse is forced into proper position as the cap is inserted into the machine by endwise pressure on the fuse so that the fuse is moved up into the cap into close contact with the fulminate, an operation which is very essential to the proper operation of fuse detonated caps.

The invention also embodies a controlling element wherein it is impossible for the machine to impart the crimping operation more than once on a cap unless the cap is withdrawn at least a portion of its length out of the machine and again moved the entire required distance before closing the necessary circuits for operating the machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of controlling means which may be electrically operated and wherein various types of circuits and circuit controlling devices may be employed, such as used in operating small industrial control apparatus.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of an automatic cap crimping device associated with the features of the invention, the view showing a cap and fuse initially placed in the machine and ready to be moved into operative position.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the circuit diagram removed but showing the cap and fuse in operative position wherein the circuit closer is closed.

Figure 3 is a like view but with the parts in 1933, Serial No. 684,732

(Cl. Sii- 22) position after the crimping operation and wherein the circuit closer has just been released, and

Figure 4 is a detail enlarged end elevation of the crimping device, showing the connection of a solenoid.

The present controlling device is applicable to various types of cap crimping and like machines, and the accompanying illustration is merely of one form of machine to show one possible application of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, one type of crimping device is shown, the same comprising a barrel having an open end 11 through which the fuse 12 with a cap 13 applied thereto is adapted to be inserted, the opening 11 being coaxial with the barrel so that the fuse and the cap may be pushed lengthwise into the end of the barrel. The barrel has a counter-bore 14 at its inner end in which operates a plunger head 15 having connected to it a plurality of spring arms 16 carrying at their outer ends crimping jaws 17. The outer ends of the jaws 17 are tapered or inclined and are adapted to ride against the conical inner wall of the end of the barrel 10, the conical or tapering end of the barrel 10 terminating in the opening 11.

Forward movement of the plunger 15 forces the crimping jaws 17 forwardly against the conical wall of the barrel and contracts the crimping jaws 17 against the cap 13. A spring 18 is fitted in the counterbore 14 and bears against the plunger 15 for normally urging the latter backwardly to release the crimping jaws 17. A transverse wedge 19 is slidably mounted through the barrel 10 and has a forward inclined face or shoulder 20 which bears against the correspondingly inclined face on the rear end of the plunger 15. The wedge 19 has a flat rear face which has bearing against a threaded cap or plug 21 fitted in the rear end of the barrel 10.

The wedge 19 is provided at its reduced end with a fork 22 comprising spaced arms having a spacer 23 between its outer ends held in place by a cross pin 24. The barrel 10 is provided with a supporting bracket 25 having a pair of ears 26 immediately behind the fork 22 and a bell crank lever 27 is pivotally mounted at its angle on a pin 28 secured through the lugs or ears 26. The short arm of the bell crank lever 27 is indicated at 29, projects into the fork 22 behind the spacer 23 and it is adapted to move the wedge 19 when the bell crank lever 27 is rocked. A spring 30 may be mounted on the bracket 25 and bears against the bell crank lever 27 to normally urge the long arm thereof upwardly so as to retain the wedge 19 in retracted position, with respect to the present illustrations.

The long arm of the bell crank lever 27 extends upwardly and is connected by a link 31 or the like with the core 32 of a solenoid 33. When the solenoid is actuated, the core 32 is drawn inwardly and the bell crank lever 27 is swung in a direction to slide the wedge 19 and force the plunger 15 forwardly.

The barrel 10 is provided in one side with a longitudinal slot 34 through which projects the free end of a lever 35 pivoted at 36 intermediate its ends upon a plate or panel 37 which may be disposed adjacent the barrel 10. A trip lever 38 is pivotally mounted near one end at 39 upon the other end portion of the lever 35 and the lever 38 has an outstanding linger 40 against which bears the free end of a spring 41 which is secured by a bracket 42 to the panel 37 outwardly of the levers.

The spring 41 is so positioned and tensioned as to normally swing the trip lever 38 outwardly at its forward end and to normally hold the main lever 35 in substantially right angular position to the barrel 10 as shown in Figure 1. The forward end of the trip lever 38 is provided with a shoulder 43 at its outer edge which faces forwardly and provides a sliding ledge 44 beyond the shoulder. A spring 45 is fixed to a block 46 carried by the panel 47 and engages at its inner end against the sliding edge or surface 44 of the trip lever and is adapted to receive the shoulder 43 thereagainst when the trip lever is advanced forwardly.

The spring 45 is connected near its free end to a spring contact arm 47 which is also mounted on the block 46 and carries a contact point adapted for engagement with a corresponding point on a stationary flexible contact 48 which is mounted on the block 46.

The trip lever 38 is provided with a tail-piece 49 which extends rearwardly and lies in the path of the fork 22 of the wedge. When the wedge 19 reaches a point adjacent its full open position, the fork 22 strikes the tail-piece 49 and the further movement of the wedge swings the trip lever 38 downwardly at its forward end, as shown in Figure 3, so that the tension spring 45 escapes the shoulder 43 and frees the contacts 47 and 48. Thus the release of the circuit which controls the operation of the solenoid is automatically effected immediately after the crimping operation.

It will also be observed that the various levers prevent the closing of the contacts 47 and 48 until the fuse and its cap have been substantially withdrawn from the barrel 10 so that no further crimping action may take place until the cap is moved all the way into the barrel l0 into a safe position for crimping.

Any suitable circuit arrangement may be employed between the contacts 47 and 48 and the solenoid 43. The source of electrical supply may be furnished by the wires 50 and 51.

The wire 50 is shown as leading to the coil of a, relay 52 while the wire 51 leads directly to one side of the solenoid 33. The other wire 53 of the solenoid 33 leads to a relay contact 54, which is adapted to be engaged by a second relay contact 55 movable with the core of the relay 52 and which in turn is connected to the wire 50. A wire 56 leads from the other side of the coil of the relay 52 directly to the contact 48 on the panel 37 while the other contact 47 is connected to a wire 57 which is branched into the main wire 51. Thus the closing of the contacts 47 and 48 close the circuit through the relay 52 which in turn closes the contacts 54 and 55 so as to include the solenoid 33 in a branch of the main circuit.

In operation, the cap 13 is tted over the end of a fuse 12 and is then inserted in the opening 11 of the barrel 10. The operator grasps the fuse l2 and moves the same inwardly to engage the end of the cap 13 against the free end of the lever 35.

The lever 35 projects through the slot 34 in the barrel and into the path of the cap 13. This position of parts is shown in Figure l. Here the sliding surface 44 of the trip lever 38 bears against the free end of the spring 45 so as to stop the turning action of the lever 38 caused by the spring 4l. The contacts 47 and 48 are open.

As the fuse l2 is forced inwardly to engage the cap 13 against the lever 35, the free end of the lever is swung inwardly with the cap into the position shown in Figure 2. During this operation the outer end of the lever 35 carries the trip lever 38 forwardly and engages the shoulder 43 against the spring 45 and carries with the spring the contact 47 until the latter is firmly engaged with the contact 48. The circuit is now closed and the solenoid 33 energized. The core 32 is drawn into the solenoid and, through the link 31, the bell crank lever 27 is swung in a direction to move the short arm 29 thereof and slide the wedge 19 through the inner end of the barrel 10. This action projects the plunger 19 forwardly and slides the crimping jaws 17 forwardly and downwardly toward each other so as to engage and crimp the open end of the cap 13 on the fuse l2. The operation of the solenoid is such that as it approaches the limit of its crimping position, the wedge 19 engages the tail-piece 49 of the trip lever and swings the forward end of the trip lever inwardly to move the shoulder 43 beyond the extremity of the spring 45.

The spring 45 is then freed, as shown in Figure 3, so that the contact 47 is retracted from the contact 48 and the circuit through the solenoid 33 is broken. The bell crank lever 27 and the wedge 19 are thus returned to normal position. The spring 41 is now free to operate for swinging the main lever 35 back into normal position for holding the forward end of the trip lever against the tension spring 45.

All of the parts are now in normal position, as shown in Figure 1, and are ready for insertion of the second cap with the fuse. The operation of the parts under action of the various springs is relatively quick and the parts are so disposed that they may be moved into their various operative and inoperative positions without extensive movement so that the machine, as a whole, operates not only automatically but also quickly for crimping the caps rapidly and as fast as the caps may be inserted and withdrawn from the barrel.

The crimping machine, including the barrel l0 and its adjunct parts and involving the operation of the wedge 19 by the solenoid 33, forms no part of the present invention, such devices being conventional. Heretofore, the solenoid 33 was operated non-automatically by a footswitch. The relay coil 52 and contacts 54 and 55 are used to reduce the work on contacts 47 and 48.

The slot 34 is found originally in the particular machine to which the invention is illustrated as applied. The linger 35 fits between two of the spring arms 16 without making any alterations to them.

The invention consists more particularly in the arrangement and actions of the parts 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, and 49, in cooperation with the existing parts of the conventional machine as illustrated and described.

It will be obvious that various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts could be made which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details, except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates isz- 1. In combination with an automatic cap crimping machine having a crimping device for receiving a cap, and operating means for the device, control means for the operating means actuatable by the cap when in position to be crimped, and releasing means for the control means operable by the device upon completion of the crimping action.

2. In combination with an automatic fuse cap crimping machine having a crimping device biased to an open position for receiving a fuse With a cap thereon, and normally inactive operating means for actuating the crimping device, control means connected to the operating means and having a movable portion lying in the path of the cap for actuating the crimping device when the cap and fuse are in proper position in the device, and a trip member on the control means lying in the path of the crimping device for engagement therewith upon completion of the crimping operation to release the control means and admit the crimping device returning to open position.

3. In combination with an automatic cap crimping machine having a normally open crimping device for receiving a cap and operating means for the device, control means for the operating means having a starting element lying in the path of the cap for movement therewith into crimping position to actuate said control means, and a trip member operable by the crimping device upon completion of the crimping operation to release the control means.

4. In combination with an automatic cap crimping machine having a crimping device, means for normally holding said device open to receive a cap with a fuse therein, and operating means for the crimping device to` close the same and crimp the cap on the fuse, a circuit closer in circuit with the operating means and having a lever projecting into the crimping device for contact with the cap when inserted in the crimping device, said lever adapted to be swung into position for closing the circuit closer when the cap is in position for crimping, and a releasing device operable by the crimping device at the end of the crimping operation to release the circuit closer and open the circuit.

5. In combination with an automatic cap crimping machine having a barrel having an axial opening for receiving a cap with a fuse therein, crimping jaws operably mounted in the barrel and normally urged into an open position, a wedge block mounted in the barrel for operating said crimping jaws to contract the same on a cap, and an electrical device connected to said wedge block for actuating the same, a circuit closer in fr oewg celiaci marasme.

circuit with said electrical device, a lever engaging the circuit closer and having one end projecting into said barrel for engagement with the cap for closing the circuit closer when the cap is in position to be crimped, a trip lever carried by the first lever for releasing the circuit closer and having a portion disposed in the path of said wedge block for engagement thereby during the final movement of the block in the crimping operation to release the circuit closer and de-energize said electric operating device.

6. In combination with an automatic cap crimping machine having a barrel having a tapered inner wall and an opening in its outer end and having a slot in one side, a plunger mounted in the barrel having normally sprung apart crimping jaws adapted to be contracted by movement of the plunger toward the outer end of the barrel, a wedge block disposed transversely through the inner end of the barrel, and engaging the plunger to advance the same upon movement of said block, and an electrical device connected to the wedge block for moving the same and contracting the crimping jaws, a circuit closer in circuit with the electrical device and having a fixed and a spring contact arm, a lever pivotally mounted on the circuit closer with one end projecting through the slot in the barrel for engagement by a cap inserted in the barrel for crimping, a second lever pivoted eccentrically on the rst lever and engaging the spring contact at its outer end, spring means for maintaining said second lever against the spring contact and for holding said first lever in a normal position, said rst lever adapted to be swung by a cap for moving the second lever against the spring contact to close the same against the fixed contact, said second lever having a tail-piece disposed in the path of the wedge block for engagement thereby on the completion of the crimping action to swing said second lever and release the spring contact.

7. In combination with an automatic cap crimping machine provided with a barrel having an axial opening therethrough and a slot at one side, a plunger in the barrel having spring arms with crimping jaws thereon, said barrel having a tapering inner wall, a wedge block transversely disposed in the barrel and engaging the plunger for moving the latter in a direction to contract the crimping jaws in the tapering end of the barrel, and a solenoid connected to said Wedge block for operating the same, a circuit closer having fixed and movable contacts in circuit with the solenoid, a spring on the circuit closer connected to the movable contact, a lever on the circuit closer having one end projecting through said slot in the barrel for engagement by a cap to swing the lever as the cap is positioned in the barrel, a second lever mounted on the first lever having a shoulder at its outer end engaging said spring and having an upstanding arm and an inwardly extending tail-piece lying in the path of said wedge block, and a spring carried by the circuit closer and engaging said second lever at said arm for normally holding the second lever against the spring of the movable contact and holding said first lever in cap receiving position, said second lever adapted to be tripped by said wedge block to release the spring of the movable contact for separating the contacts when the crimping action is completed.

8. In combination with an automatic cap crimping machine provided with a barrel for receiving a cap with a fuse therein, crimping jaws mounted in the barrel, a plunger connected to a solenoid connected to the wedge block for slid' ing the same and moving said plunger, a pair of contacts in circuit with the solenoid, a spring for one of said contacts to normally urge the contacts apart, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends with one end projecting into said barrel for engagement with a cap, a second lever pivoted eccentrically on the rst lever' having its outer end slidably engaging said spring and having a shoulder for engaging the spring to advance the same and its contact against the fixed contact, a second spring engaging the second lever to hold the outer end thereof against the spring of the contact and for holding the rst lever in initial position to receive a cap, said second lever having a tail-piece disposed in the path of said wedge block for engagement thereby to tilt the second lever and release the shoulder thereof from the spring of the contact.

JOHN F. WIGGERT. 

